City of Davis Archives - Page 414 of 470

DSIDE: New Economic Vision or Smoke and Mirrors?

By David GreenwaldSeptember 28, 201067 comments

Much has been made about the economic workshop that took place last week, with the acronym DSIDE – Designing a Sustainable and Innovative Davis Economy. The ideas presented at this conference could have been delivered 20 years ago, or even 30 years ago.

In recent weeks the Davis Chamber of Commerce and the City of Davis formed a Steering Committee to focus on the unique strengths, values and resources of the community. The Steering Committee was comprised of representatives of UC Davis, the City, and a broad base of business interests.

Commentary: From Wood Burning to Senior Housing Commissions Serve a Vital Purpose in Our Community

By David GreenwaldSeptember 26, 20105 comments

People I am running into are still talking about the proposed commission consolidations, and there is both real anger and real frustration with the process. People are often willing to accept outcomes that they do not like if they perceive there to be a fair process.

But in this case, a subcommittee without public noticing or public hearing requirements came forward, not with an informational item, but with an action item to change drastically the way we run our commissions.

City Manager Navazio Takes Over Monday

By David GreenwaldSeptember 25, 20101 comments

Commentary: The End of One Era is the Start of a New Era, or is it Just the Continuation of Business as Usual?

Friday marked the end of Bill Emlen’s tenure as Davis’ City Manager. Monday will mark the beginning of Paul Navazio’s tenure as Davis’ interim City Manager. For how long? That is a question that we cannot answer right now.

The policy direction of the city is driven largely by council, or so they will tell you. There is some truth in that, but the single most powerful position in the city is the unelected city manager.

Council Reverses on Banking Contract, Will Issue More Bids Seeking Local Banks

By David GreenwaldSeptember 22, 201012 comments

Council on Tuesday night unanimously voted against staff recommendation, and asked the City to go back and solicit new bids in an effort to give local banks the opportunity to come forth with competitive bids for a banking contract with the City.

Staff had recommended, based on the need to access immediate lines of credit, to go forth with at least 15 million and up to 30 million dollars to finance the upcoming public works surface water supply project and the water utility. The recommendation was that, as a whole, the City turn away from its longstanding commitment to local bankers and approve an agreement with Wells Fargo.

Council Tables Item on Gutting Commissions For Now

By David GreenwaldSeptember 22, 201018 comments

On Tuesday night Mayor Don Saylor announced formally what we had known earlier in the day, that the controversial item consolidating several of the commissions had been tabled, pending further discussion. We were hoping the elections of two council members would infuse new ideas and thoughts into the council. Instead, to a large degree, we see business as usual.

The question we really have today is: will they ever learn? For one who so often has his ear on the pulse of the politics in this community, Mayor Don Saylor can certainly be tone deaf. It is ironic that he now gets his hand caught in the cookie jar, because he managed to avoid the fray four years ago when Stephen Souza and Ruth Asmundson proposed a merger of the Social Services Commission with the Senior Citizens Commission, only to be forced to pull back as the backlash mounted.

Proposed Banking Contract with Wells Fargo Drawing Heat as Well

By David GreenwaldSeptember 21, 201013 comments

On tonight’s council agenda is an item that would authorize the City Manager to execute an agreement with Wells Fargo Bank for the provision of banking services for a term of five years, with the option of annual yearly extensions thereafter.

The contract is drawing the ire of many residents who argue that Davis should keep banking with local banks, rather than sending huge amounts of city money out of the area. Money that stays locally achieves more and works harder for our city, most sustainable models will argue.

The Zip Debate: Separating Fact from Myth

By David GreenwaldSeptember 20, 201062 comments

When the Davis City Council approved the contract with Zipcar, they city staff and council did a typically poor job of explaining the issue and the rationale to the public. The passage of this item came during a meeting in which a number of complex items were very quickly approved. The idea was the new Mayor Don Saylor is in charge, and he will make the trains run on time.

The problem that the Mayor forgot is that this is not Mussolini’s Italy and if the trains run on time in Davis, that means that you are not properly explaining to the public or council what they are approving. Already this has bitten the council in the rear on the issue of the Zipcar which has garnered criticism in Bob Dunning’s column, a critical story in the Enterprise, and now there is an attempt to right the ship with a column in the Enterprise by Stephen Souza and Joe Krovoza along with a fact sheet on the city website.

Commentary: Fix the Problem; Don’t Gut the Commissions

By David GreenwaldSeptember 19, 201021 comments

Citizen commissions have become a way of life that embodies the Davis spirit. Now, as we reported Thursday, a proposal has been put forth by the subcommittee composed of Mayor Don Saylor and Councilmember Rochelle Swanson that would effectively gut several of the key commissions.

It is easy to ascribe motivation absent other information. However, the fact remains that the proposals put forward into policy recommendations, without vetting through the community, are premature at best. This would have been much better off introduced through a workshop format, allowing all the commissions and citizens who understand their history to come forward, and then attempt a policy discussion.

Three Different Commissions; Three Different Views from the Community

By David GreenwaldSeptember 19, 20103 comments

On Tuesday night the Davis City Council will weigh in on a proposal that would, in effect, gut the commission system as we know it. On Thursday the Vanguard covered the full proposal, which includes the consolidation of several commissions into broader and less specific bodies.

Today I ran my own commentary on why that is not the best approach, and I argue that it does not get at the real budget problem. Also, what we really need to do is encourage more activist commissioners, who are not beholden to a specific political agenda. And we can restructure the system, as we should have done this spring and failed to do so properly.

Word To The Wise: Universal Design or Universal Design, That is the Question

By David GreenwaldSeptember 17, 20105 comments

By E. Roberts Musser –

On July 19, 2010, the Senior Citizens Commission, Social Services Commission and its ADA Subcommittee met jointly to explore the possibility of transforming the city’s existing Accessibility and Visitability Policy into an ordinance with more teeth. Currently, the city’s Accessibility and Visitability Policy requires builder’s to merely offer a list of accessibility/visitability features for a homeowner to select from, and nothing more.

To begin the discussion, let’s define some terms:

Council Subcommittee Proposes to Gut Commission System and Merge Disparate Functions

By David GreenwaldSeptember 16, 201030 comments

Four years ago, a council subcommittee of Ruth Asmundson and Stephen Souza attempted to, among other things, merge the Social Services Commission with the Senior Citizens Commission. The result was a huge uproar that led to much public acrimony and a backing down by the council.

Learning nothing from that debacle, the council is now proposing a far broader consolidation that would put commissions with very different functions together, in effect gutting the entire system and making the idea of citizen involvement questionable.

Davis City Attorney Moves to Best, Best, and Krieger

By David GreenwaldSeptember 15, 201020 comments

Law Firms Ties To City of Bell Scandal Appear Linked To Only One Attorney Who is Now Gone –

In August it was announced that Davis’ City Attorney, Harriet Steiner, would be moving from the embattled McDonough, Holland, and Allen law firm which is on the verge of either consolidating or breaking up. She moved to the Riverside-based Best, Best, and Krieger law firm, which has 200 lawyers in eight offices across the state, and represents several municipalities in Southern California.

From the start, Ms. Steiner has said the move will not impact the city of Davis, and she moves with her a number of her associates and others that have worked for the City of Davis.

Third Street Also To Undergo a Facelift

By David GreenwaldSeptember 11, 20108 comments

I will never forget pushing a baby stroller onto campus last spring to cover a campus event. I always have parked at Central Park where I don’t have to worry about finding and paying for parking. It gives me an hour and a half before the Parking Enforcement tickets my car. But walking with a baby stroller, I discovered something very wrong with Third Street between B and A.

The handicapped access ramps on the sidewalk don’t line up. That means you cannot walk down Third Street, go down a ramp, through the cross walk and get back on the other sidewalk – on both sides of the street. You can go down a ramp into Third Street, dodge bicycles, go through the bollards (the hard concrete poles that allow bikes through but not cars) and get back on the sidewalk on the other side of the street, but it takes a jog.

Commentary: A Time For Change

By David GreenwaldSeptember 10, 201076 comments

As We Kill Reverse-Angled Parking, We Need to Find Ways To Change the Way We Conduct Our Lives –

Now that the council has at least postponed Joe Krovoza’s proposal to look into reverse-angled parking on Second Street, I would like to step forward, put my neck firmly on the chopping block and thank him for bringing the idea forward.

This is an idea whose time has clearly not arrived yet. That is fine. That is why we live in a democracy and we have a process by which we can bring forward ideas, discuss them, and possibly ultimately reject them. I will remind people, however, that the idea of a road diet was seen as preposterous a few years ago. In fact, some people probably still feel that way. However, it is going to be an idea that will be implemented in the very near future.

Council Approves Letter to County About Conditions at Animal Shelter

By David GreenwaldSeptember 9, 201012 comments

Early this year Natalia Deeb-Sosa a member of Davis Advocates for Sheltered Animals (DASA), wrote a scathing letter after a December 31, 2009 visit to the Yolo County Animal Shelter. After her letter and the concerns expressed, a number of citizens came forward to ask the Davis City Council if it could intervene on behalf of Davis residents, using the city’s contract with animal control services as its access to services provided by the Yolo County Sheriff’s department.

The Davis City Council has now taken some steps to at least be able to monitor and address the problems. By a 5-0 vote the council agreed to execute a new Agreement with Yolo County for Animal Control Service for the Fiscal Year of 2010-11.

Paul Navazio Named as Interim City Manager

By David GreenwaldSeptember 8, 20105 comments

One question answered, one big question still remains. On Tuesday, the Davis City Council unanimously voted to name Paul Navazio as Interim City Manager, effective on September 24, the same day that current City Manager Bill Emlen will leave to take a position with Solano County.

Mr. Navazio was hired as finance director in February of 2004 and was promoted to Assistant City Manager in March of 2008. Prior to joining the city of Davis, Mr. Navazio spent six years as the Budget Manager for Berkeley and four years as Budget Manager in Oakland.

Staff Recommends Approval of DCC Access Ramp

By David GreenwaldSeptember 7, 201014 comments

The Vanguard reported back on July 31 that the Davis Community Church has been proposing and has requested to be allowed to install a new universal access ramp. This would include an enlargement of the landing at the main entrance to provide a concrete patio for a gathering place, and new landscaping in order to hide the railings of the proposed ramp off of Fourth Street.

Staff is recommending council overturn the vote of the Historic Resources Management Commission, who twice voted to deny the changes. This would allow the installation of the third wheelchair ramp, new concrete patio, landing, steps and landscaping at the Fourth Street entrance of the Landmark property located at 412 C Street.

Health and Prosperity Report Measuring What Exactly?

By David GreenwaldSeptember 6, 201028 comments

In yesterday’s Davis Enterprise, Mayor Don Saylor once again has a co-written op-ed, this time talking about Davis being armed with a new economic tool, the “Davis Economic Health and Prosperity Report.”

According to the piece, “The report represents the culmination of a multi-year commission effort to examine and measure some of the key factors defining economic development and community well-being, and to help policymakers and the community assess ‘how is Davis doing?’ and ‘how do we know?'”

Staff Report Recommends Against Pursuing Reverse-Angle Parking on Second Street

By David GreenwaldSeptember 5, 201011 comments

Back in August, Mayor Pro Tem Joe Krovoza asked the city to investigate the possibility of creating reverse-angle parking on Second Street, as part of the corridor improvements already under way.

There are concerns about the costs and push back from the business community on this front. According to the staff report, “The cost of restriping Second Street is incorporated into the contract and budget for the construction now underway. Changing the orientation of the stripes would require additional funds for signs and any public education efforts.”

City to Receive Sports Park Status Report at Tuesday Council Meeting

By David GreenwaldSeptember 4, 20106 comments

At a special time, that will once again make it difficult for working folks with children in school to attend, the council and the Recreation and Parks Commission will have a joint meeting. That time will be Tuesday at 5:30, the meeting starting prior to the regular council meeting.

One item to be discussed is the status of the Davis Sports Park. As we discussed earlier this summer, this item has a marked priority for the city, since the city has been looking for additional facilities of this kind for the last decade, at least.

Commentary: The End of One Era is the Start of a New Era, or is it Just the Continuation of Business as Usual?

By E. Roberts Musser –

Law Firms Ties To City of Bell Scandal Appear Linked To Only One Attorney Who is Now Gone –

As We Kill Reverse-Angled Parking, We Need to Find Ways To Change the Way We Conduct Our Lives –

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